negligence or of ignorance corrupt the innocencie of the law of Nature which we all receiue in the Protoplast Adam S. Ambrose in another place iumpeth with Bede in these words Non discreuit concupiscentiam hanc à peccato sed miscuit hoc significans quia cum nec suspicio quidem esset istud non licerè apud deum cognoui inquit esse peccatum Sub sua persona quasi generalem agit causam Lexitaque concupiscentiam prohibet quae propterea quod oblectamento est non putabatur esse peccatum He hath not discerned this concupiscence from sinne but hath coupled it with sinne signifying thereby that when there was not so much as any suspition that this thing was not lawfull before God I knew saith he that it is sinne Vnder his own person he pleadeth as it were the generall cause The law therefore forbiddeth concupiscence which because it delighteth seemeth not to be sinne Thus writeth S. Ambrose whose words cannot possibly be vnderstood of any other concupiscence than of that which is inuoluntarie and originall Thirdly that their owne vulgar Latine text which the late councell of Trent preferreth before both the Hebrew and the Greeke and commandeth all papists to vse it as authenticall and none other hath the word iniquitas in both places and doth call as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ininiquitie these are the expresse words omnis iniquitas peccatum est All iniquitie is sinne Loe their owne translation to which all papists are tied as a Beare to a stake doth flatlie confound them all and saith plainelie and expressely That euerie iniquitie is a sinne And yet the papists of Rhemes bluntishly and impudently defend the contrarie crying out with open mouthes That some iniquitie is not sinne The truth is this that they are driuen to a non plus and cannot tell in the world what to say against this doctrine of concupiscence in the regenerate For both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is truly and fitly tearmed iniquitas or iniquitie VVhich but that I studie to be briefe I could shew by a thousand testimonies out of S. Austen S. Ambrose and S. Bede Answere therefore ô papist if ye can or if ye dare not because ye cannot then reclaime your selues and yeeld vnto the truth for shame I challenge you and adiure you if your hearts faile you not and if your owne consciences condemne you not to send me an answere to this short challenge which I haue compiled very briefely so once to prouoke you to the open combat which I haue now many years expected at your hands and could neuer yet find so much courage in any of you all VVherefore to seale vp the veritie of this article as an vndoubted truth I will here adde for the complement as amost delicat post-past to satisfie the longing appetites of the Iesuit Parsons the arch priest Blackwell and all the traiterous crew of that Iesuited brotherhood the flat testimonie of their saint Thomas Aquinas whose doctrine they are bound to defend beleeue and approue and may not in any case refuse or denie the same these are his expresse words Dicendū quod illud quod homo facit sine deliberatione rationisnon perfectè ipse facit quia nihil operatur ibi id quod est principale in homine vnde non est perfectè actus humanus per consequens non potest esse perfectè actus virtutis vel peccati sed aliquid imperfectum ingenere horum Vnde talis motus sensualitatis rationem perueniens est peccatum veniale quod est quiddam imperfectum in genere peccati VVe must answere that that which man doth without the deliberation of reason he doth it not perfectly because that which is the chiefest in man worketh nothing there wherefore it is not perfectly mans act and consequently it cannot be perfectly the act of vertue or of sinne but some vnperfect thing in this kind VVhereupon it commeth that such a motion of sensualitie preuenting reason is a veniall sinne which is a certaine imperfect thing in the nature of sinne Thus writeth Aquinas out of whose words I note these important obseruations First that this Aquinas is a popish canonized saint Secondly that for his great learning he was surnamed Doctor Angelicus The Angelicall Doctor Thirdly that Pope Vrbanus the fourth and Pope Innocentius the fift did so admire and reuerence the excellent learning of this famous schoole-doctor who was a learned clarke indeed that they confirmed his doctrine for authenticall and gaue it the first place after the canonicall Scripture Fourthly that this great doctor so highly renowned in the Romish church that no papist may denie or gainesay that which he hath written graunteeth freely teacheth plainely and auoucheth constantly that the inordinate motion of sensualitie which goeth before reason is properly a sinne though but a veniall sinne as he tearmeth it For it is one thing to be a sinne perfectly another thing to be a sinne properly A veniall and little sinne is as well and as truly a sinne as a mortall and great sinne as the papists tearme them For he is as truly and properly a theefe that stealeth a lambe or a goose as he that stealeth an oxe or a horse though not a theefe in so high degree For mortall and veniall sinnes as the papists tearm them doe onely differ Secundum magis minus according to more and lesse But in truth euery sinne is mortall as I haue alreadie proued in my booke of Motiues Answer ô papists if ye can if not repent for shame The fift Article Of the condigne so supposed merite of workes THe papists either of ignorance or of malice doe most vnchristianlie slander the professors of Christs Gospell as though they were enemies to good workes when in deed they both thinke preach and write more Christianly more religiously and more sincerely than the papists doe of and concerning godlie actions and good workes In regard hereof before I come to the maine point of that which I purpose to oppugne in this article I graunt first of all that though good workes neither doe nor can goe before iustification yet they euer follow as the fruits follow the tree the persons that are freely iustified by Gods mercie in Christ Iesus for his merits and condigne deserts I graunt secondly that though good workes goe not before iustification yet doe they so necessarilie goe before saluation that no man without them can attaine eternall life when possibilitie is graunted to doe them I graunt thirdly that good workes are the true effects of predestination by which the children of God make their saluation sure vnto themselues and manifest vnto the world Yet this notwithstanding I hold constantlie beleeue stedfastly and affirme Christianlie that albeit good workes are the effects of predestination and necessarie fruits of faith and iustification yet neither are they the cause of predestination nor of iustification neither doe they or can they merit ex condigno eternall life or glorie I say merit ex condigno because I willingly graunt with the auntient writers and holie fathers that good workes in a godly sense may be said to merit that
is to say to impetrate fauour and reward at Gods hands for his mercie and promise sake who hath promised not to leaue vnrewarded so much as one cup of cold water giuen in his name but they can neuer truly be said to merite for any worthinesse or condigne desert of the works that are done Against which last part I contend with the papists at this present and namely against the late decree of the late Romish Counsell of Trent whose expresse wordes are these Si quis dixerit hominis iustificati bona opera ita esse dona Dei vt non sint etiam bona ipsius iustificati merita aut ipsum iustificatum bonis operibus quae ab eo per Dei gratiam Iesu Christi meritum cuius membrum viuum est fiunt non verè mereri augmentum gratiae vitam aeternam ipsius vitae aeternae si tamen in gratia decesserit consecutionem atque etiam gloriae augmentum anathema sit If any shall say that the good workes of the iustified man are so the gifts of God that they be not also the good merites of him that is iustified or that the iustified man by his good workes which he doth by the grace of God and merit of Christ Iesus whose liuely member he is doth not truly merit the increase of grace eternall life and the consequution of the same eternall life if he shal depart hence in grace and also the augment of glory let him be accursed Here we see the flat doctrine of the Romish Church which whosoeuer will not beleeue stedfastly must bee damned euerlastingly and with fire and faggot bee sent packing speedily Yet that this doctrine is most absurd in it selfe most blaphemous against the free mercie of God and most iniurious to the inestimable merits of our Lord Iesus I vndertake by Gods assistance to prooue by such cleere and euident demonstrations as shal be able to satisfie all indifferent readers and to put the papists to silence for euer in this behalfe The first reason drawne from the holy Scriptures THe first place of holy scripture is conteined in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the gift of God is life euerlasting in Christ Iesus our Lord. This text of scripture doth plainely conuince that life eternall cannot be condignely atchieued by the workes of man for being the free gift of God it can no way be due to the merite of mans worke The Rhemists to extenuate the cleerenesse of this text and as it were to hide and conceale the euidencie thereof doe translate for the Gift of God the Grace of God following their old vulgar Latin edition VVhich translation though in this place it mae be admitted yet doth it not sufficiently expresse the efficacie of the originall word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a gift freely bestowed for which respect their owne famous linguist Arias Montanus who was the onely man chosen as most sufficient for the translation of the old testament out of the Hebrew and of the new out of Greeke and imployed by the king of Spaine for that onlie end did not translate gratia but donatio not grace but donation or free gift Now let vs see and view the iudgement of the holy fathers vpon this portion of holy writ Saint Theodoret hath these wordes Hic non dicit mercedem sed gratiam est enim Dei donum vita aeterna si quis enim summam absolutam iustitiam praestiterit temporalibus laboribus aeterna in aequilibrio non respondent He saith no there reward but grace for eternal life is the gift of God For although one could performe the highest and absolute iustice yet eternall ioyes being weighed with temporall labours are nothing answerable Saint Chrysostome hath these wordes Non eundem seruat oppositorum ordinem Non enim dicit merces benefactorum vestrorum vita aeterna sed donum Dei vita aeterna vt ostenderet quod non proprijs viribus liberati sint neque debitum aut merces aut laborum sit retributio sed omnia illa ex diuino munere gratuitò acceperint He doth not obserue the same order of opposites For he saith not eternall life is the reward of your good workes but eternall life is the gift of God that he might shew that they are not deliuered by their owne strength or vertues and that it is not a debt or a wages or a retribution of labours but that they haue receiued all those things freely of the gift of God Origen writeth thus vpon the same wordes Deum verò non erat dignum militibus suis stipendia quasi debitum alique dare sed donum gratiam quae est vita aeterna in Christo Iesu domino nostro But it was not a thing worthy beseeming God to giue stipends to his souldiers as a due debt or wage but to bestow on them a gift or free grace which is eternall life in Christ Iesus our Lord. Saint Ambrose hath these wordes Sicut enim sequentes peccatum acquirunt mortem ita sequentes gratium Dei id est fidem Christi quae donat peccata babebunt vitam aeternam For as they that follow sinne gaine death so they that follow the grace of Christ that is the faith of Christ which forgiueth sinnes shall haue eternall life Theophilact hath these wordes Gratiam autem non mercedem dixit à Deo futurum perinde ac si inquiat non enim laborum accipitis premia sed per gratiam fiunt haec omnia in Christo Iesu qui haec operatur factitat He said grace not wages was to come from God as if he should say for ye receiue not rewards of labours but all these things are done by grace in Christ Iesus who worketh and doth them Anselmus and Photius haue the same wordes in effect which I omit in regard of breuitie By these manifold testimonies of the holy fathers the doctrine which I defend is cleere and euident viz. that eternall life is the free gift of God and is not merited or purchased by desert of man that eternall life is not a due debt a deserued wages or retribution of mans labours but proceedeth wholy and solie of the free mercy and grace of God that mans workes waighed in the ballance with the ioyes of heauen are nothing at all answerable vnto them To which fathers I will add the verdict of Paulus Burgensis a verie famous popish Spanish Bishop These are his wordes Noluit ergo dicere stipendium iustitiae vita aeterna sed maluit dicere gratia Dei vita aeterna quia eadem merita quibus redditur non a nobis sunt sed in nobis à Deo facta sunt
per gratiam He would not therefore say eternall life is the stipend of iustice but he had rather say eternall life is the grace of God because the same merits to which it is rendered are not of our selues but wrought in our selues by God through grace The second text of holy scripture is contained in these wordes I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the future glory which shall be reuealed toward vs. Loe all our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all our passions afflictions and penalties that we are able to endure in this life are so farre from being meritorious of eternall life that they are in no wise comparable to the same Theoderetus doth liuely expresse this verietie in these most golden wordes Superant certamina coronae non comparantur cum laboribus remunerationes labor enim paruus est sed magnum lucrum speratur Et propterea non mercedem sed gloriam vocauit ea quae expectantur The conflicts of the crowne doe remaine the labours are not comparable to the rewards for the labour is small but the gaine hoped for is great And therefore the things expected are not called a reward but glory Anselmus hath these wordes Hoc est si quis pateretur omnes paenarum acerbitates quae in tempore presentis vitae sufferri possunt non essent omnes illae passiones dignum meritum ad consequutionem futurae gloriae quae ablato omni velamine reuelabitur in nobis If one should suffer all kindes of torment which can bee endured in this life yet would not all those afflictions torments or passions be a sufficient and condigne merite to atteine the future glory which when euery vaile is taken out of the way shal be reuealed in vs. Marke well these wordes in this famous popish writer because they are most important for seeing he was a great papist his proofe must needes be good against the papists Againe his words are so cleere and manifest that no euasion can haue place For he saith in plaine and expresse tearmes that all which is possible to be done or endured in this world can not be a worthy or condigne merite of eternall life No answere in truth can be made hereunto it iumpeth in deed with the true sense and meaning of Saint Paul The third place of holy scripture is contained in these words Not by the works of iustice which we haue done but according to his mercie he hath saued vs by the lauer of regeneration and renouation of the holy Ghost These are the Apostles words euen as our Rhemists haue alledged them By which words it is most cleere and apparant that we are not onely iustified but also saued of meere mercie and the free gift of God And consequently that eternall life hath no merite on the behalfe of man For after saluation once accomplished all merite is vaine and needlesse Anselmus hath these golden words Tunc saluos nos fecit qui nostris meritis eramus perditione digni non enim ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos processit haec salus quia nulla opera iustitiae feceramus vnde salutem meruissemus sed ipse secundum misericordiam suam saluos nos fecit non secundum merita nostra nobis hanc salutem dedit Then did he saue vs who by our owne merites deserued perdition For this saluation came not from the workes of iustice which we haue done because we had done no workes of iustice by which wee should merite saluation but hee according to his mercie saued vs and not according to our merites gaue hee vs this saluation The famous papist Dionysius Carthusianus expoundeth Saint Paul euen as Anselmus did These are his wordes Non ex operibus iustitiae quae fecimus nos id est non propter merita nostra quae nulla fuerunt quia predictis peccatis eramus obnoxij sed secundam suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit à potestate diaboli reatuaeterui tormenti merito suae conuersations passionis Not of the works of righteousnesse which we haue done that is not for our merites which were none at all because we were subiect to the afore named sinnes but according to his mercie hath he saued vs from the power of the deuill and guilt of eternall torment by the merit of his holy conuersation and passion Loe our saluation commeth not of mans merits but of the merits of the sonne of God This shall suffice for the first reason which is drawne from the authortiie of holy writ The second reason drawne from the authoritie of the holy fathers SAint Austen hath many excellent testimonies in his workes which doe euidently approoue and confirme this my doctrine against the popish supposed condigne merit of works but I will content my selfe with one or two at this present Thus doth he write Virtus est charitas quaid quod diligenduÌ„ est diligitur haec in alijs maior in alijs minor in alijs nulla est plenissima vero quae iam non possit augeri quandiu hic homo viuit estin nemine quandiu autem augeri potest profecto illud quod minus est quaÌ„ debit ex vitio est Ex quo vitio non est iustus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet Ex quo vitio non iustificabitur in conspectu Dei omnis viuens Propter quod vitium si dixerimus quia peccatum non habemus nos met ipsos seducimus veritas in nobis non est Propter quod etiam quantum libet pâ—ofecerimus necessarium est nobis dicere dimitte nobis debita nostra cum iam omnia in baptismo dicta facta cogitata dimissa sint Charitie is a vertue with which we lout that that ought to be loued This in some is more in others lesse in others none at all but the perfect charitie which cannot be increased while a man here liueth is found in none so long as it can be increased that doubtlesse which is lesse then it should be proceedeth of sinne by reason of which sinne there is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs by reason of which sinne how much soeuer we profit yet must we say of necessitie Forgiue vs our trespasses euen after that all our thoughts words and workes are forgiuen in baptisme Thus writeth Saint Austen that mightie piller of Christs Church out of whose most golden wordes I note sundrie excellent documents to the great comfort of the faithfull and to the euerlasting confusion of all impenitent papists For first Saint Austen saith that no man can haue charitie in that perfect degree which the law requireth Secondly that the want thereof proceedeth of that vice that is inherent in vs. Thirdlie that by reason of this vice euery man is a sinner Fourthly that by
condign merite of workes are very childish and too too friuolous For first where he saith that the fathers speake of good workes onely in respect of their naturall value as he tearmeth it I answere that that silly glosse is onely inuented by him and his fellowes to saue the life of their beggerly doctrine if it would be For no such thing can be found in any one of all their bookes Nay our Frier bishop confuteth himselfe vnawares of such force is the truth when he graunteth that good workes done in grace are vtterly vnworthie of heauen if Gods promise bee set apart Where I wish the reader to obserue seriously the word prorsus vtterly which is indeed his owne and most emphaticall against himselfe Their highly renowned Abbot and cononized saint Bernardus shall tell them the truth and giue the vpshot of the game these are his expresse words Iam vero de aeterna vita scimus quâ—non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam nec si vnus omnes sustineat Neque enim talia sunt hominum merita vt propter ea vita aeterna debeatur ex iure aut deus iniuriam aliquam faceret nisi eam donaret Now touching eternall life we know that the sufferings of this time are not worthie of the glorie to come no not if one man could sustaine all For the merits of men are not such that for them eternall life is due by right or that God should doe some iniurie if he gaue it not The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deput 13. Nolo meritum quod gratiam excludat Horreo quicquid de meo est vt sim meus nist quod illud magis forsit an meum est quod me meum facit Gratiae reddit memihi iustificatum gratis sie liberatum à seruitute peccats It derogateth from grace whatsoeuer thou ascribest to merite I will haue no merite that excludeth grace I abhorre whatsoeuer is of mine owne that I may be mine owne vnlesse perchance that is more mine owne which maketh me mine owne Grace iustifieth me to my selfe freely and so deliuereth me from the bondage of sinne The same Bernard in another place hath these expresse words Sic non est quod iam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona presertim cum audias apud prophetam non propter vos sed propterme ego faciam dicit dominus Sufficit admeritum scire quod non sufficiant merita Sed vt ad meritum satis est demeritis non presumere sic carere meritis satis ad iudicium est So there is no cause that thou shouldest now aske by what merits we hope for glorie especially since thou hearest the prophet say I will doe it saith the Lord not for your sake but for mine owne It is sufficient to merite to know that our merites are not sufficient But as it is ynough to merite not to presume of merites so to want merites is ynough to iudgement Out of the most excellent testimonies of this famous papist I note many worthie lessons for the benefit of the reader First that nothing which man can doe or suffer in this life is worthie of the ioies of heauen Secondly that heauen is not due to any man for his owne deserts Thirdly that God should doe no man wrong no not the best liuer on earth if he should debarre him from the ioyes of heauen Fourthly that whatsoeuer is ascribed to mans merite the same is derogatorie to Gods grace Fiftly that Bernard renounceth all merit which excludeth grace that is to say all merit of mans workes whatsoeuer for so himselfe expoundeth himselfe Sixtly that he abhorreth whatsoeuer is his owne and so he denieth any thing within himselfe to be meritorious or worthie of eternall life Seuenthly that the most sufficient merit in man is this viz. to know and confesse that our merits are no merits indeed Eightly that to want merits is ynough for mans condemnation VVhich last obseruation doth fitly expound that which I vttered in the beginning of this article to wit that the word merit in that sence in which the fathers vse it is not to be reiected though in these our daies it commonly be abused For to want merits in their sence as Bernard here declareth euidently is to haue no good workes which good works I affirme willingly both with the old and late writers of best account to be so necessarie to attaine eternall life as the vsuall ordinarie and vndoubted means by which God decreed from eternitie freely for his owne name sake to bring his chosen and elect to saluation that without the same none haue beene are or shall be saued world without end if as I said in the beginning time be graunted to doe them The third reason drawne from the doctrine of best approoued Papists and their renowned schoole-doctors THomas Aquinas whose doctrine no papist may gainesay or refuse hath these expresse words Manifestum est autem quod inter deum hominem est maxima inaequalitas in infinitum enim distant totum quod est hominis bonum est à deo vnde non potest hominis à deo esse iustitia secundum absolutam aequalitatem sed secundum proportienem quandam in quantum scilicet vterque operatur secundum modum suum Modus autem mensura humanae virtutis homini est à Deo ideo merituÌ„ hominis apud deum esse non potest nisi secundum presuppositionem diuinae ordinationis ita scilicet vt id homo consequatur à Deo persuam operationem quasi mercedem ad quod Deus ei virtute operandi destinauit It is manifest that between God and man there is exceeding great inequalitie as which doe differ in infinit all the good that man hath is of God VVherefore mans iustice receiued of God cannot be according to absolute equalitie but after a certaine proportion to wit in as much as either worketh according to his condition Now man hath the measure and condition of his vertue from God and therefore mans merit cannot be with God saue onely according to the supposall of Gods holy ordinance so forsooth that man may attaine that at Gods hand by his working as a reward to which God hath designed to him the facultie and power of working Thus writeth their grand master papist Aquilias who vtterly ouerthroweth all popish merit as it is this day defended and beleeued in the Church of Rome For first Aquinas telleth vs marke well for this is a weightie point that where there is not perfect equalitie there can be no merit properly Secondly he graunteth freely that there is infinit inequalitie betweene God and man as euery child knoweth to be true Thirdly he freely confesseth that mans iustice is not absolute but imperfect Fourthly he graunteth willingly that man doth merit nothing in Gods sight saue onely by way of his free acceptation Fiftly he confesseth in like
manner that eternall life is not properly hire but as it were hire quasi mercedem and that by reason of the same free acceptation Durandus a very famous popish Schoole-doctor hath these expresse words Tale meritum de coniligno inuenitur inter homines sed non est hominis ad deum Quod patet quâ— quod redditur potius ex libe alitate dantis quam ex debito operis non cadit sub merito de condigno strictè propriè accepto Sequitur quod si quis dicat quod quamuis deus non constituatur nobis deb tor ex aliquo nostro opere constituitur tamen debitor ex sua promissione quam exprimit scripturu non valet propter duo PrimuÌ„ est quod promissio diuina in scripturis sanctis non sonat in aliquam oblig ationem sed insinuat meram dispositionem liber alitatis diuinae SecunduÌ„ est quod quod redditur non redditur ex debito operis sed ex promissione precedente non quod redditur ex merito operis de condigne sed solum vel principaliter ex promisso Et it a non est illud debitum de quo loquimur Et sic patet quod meritum de condigno strictè propriè sumptum viz. pro actione voluntaria propter quam oper anti debetur merces ex iustitia sic quod si non reddatur ille ad quem pertinet reddere iniustè facit est simpliciter propriè iniustus non est hominis ad deum Et ideo propter tale meritum cum sit homini simpliciter impossibile non est necesse in nobis ponere gratiam vel charitatem habitualem Such condigne merit is found among men but is not betweene God and man VVhich hereby is cleere because that which is rendered rather of the liberalitie of the giuer than of debt due to the worke falleth not vnder condigne merit properly so called If any say that though God become not our debtor by reason of our worke yet is he made our debtor by reason of his promise which the Scripture expresseth that answere is of no force for two respects First because Gods promise in the Scriptures doth not sound to any bond but insinuateth the meere disposition of Gods liberalitie Secondly because that which is giuen is not giuen for the debt arising of the worke but of promise that went before not that it is rendered for the condigne merit of the worke but onely or principally for his promise sake And so there is not that debt of which we speake So then it is cleere that condigne merit properly so called viz. for a voluntarie action for which reward is due of iustice to the worker so that if it be not rendered he to whom it appertaineth to giue it doth vniustly and is simply and properly vniust is not betweene God and man And therefore for such a merit seeing it is simply impossible to man there is no need to put in vs grace or charitie habituall Thus saith M. Durand out of whose words I note first that condigne merit cannot be betweene God and man Secondly that eternall life is giuen of Gods free liberalitie not of any dutie due to the works that we doe Thirdly that God rewardeth vs principally for his promise sake and not for any thing we either haue done or can doe Fourthly that condigne merit is so farre aboue mans capacitie that no man can by any possibilitie haue it And consequently that late popish doctrine is impossible Gregorius Ariminensis Marsilius Thomas Waldensis Paulus Burgensis and Eckius fiue most zealous papists doe all with one assent affirme very constantly that mans works are not meritorious of eternall life how holy soeuer the man be Dominicus Soto a zealous monke and famous popish writer telleth the papists roundly and teacheth them grauely that no pure man is able to make condigne satisfaction for his sinnes and so à fortiori against his will and meaning that no man can by condigne merit attaine eternall life These are his expresse words Perfecta satisfactio est illa cuius valor pretiuÌ„ totuÌ„ emanat à debitore nulla vel pâ—â—ueniente vel interueniente gratia creditoris taliter vt sit redditio aequiualeÌ„tis alias indebiti voluntaria Perfect satisfaction is that whose value and price proceedeth whollie from the debtour without either preuenting or interuenting grace of the creditour so as the voluntarie reddition be of that which is equiualent and not otherwise due This is true doctrine which our frier Soto deliuereth to the world hee teacheth vs foure things First that the satisfaction must proceed wholie from the debtour Secondly that there must be no preuenting nor interuenting grace of the creditour Thirdly that there must be equiualent restitutioÌ„ Fourthly that that equiualent reddition must be a worke which is otherwise not due These foure conditions which our popish M. Soto and Dominican frier requireth in euery satisfaction when any papist can find in any one of their merits or satisfactions I will be their bondman neither shall the popes holines be excepted But to come to this bondage vpon this couenant I am in no feare at all For the ethnicke philosopher Aristotle perceiued by the naturall discourse of right reason That no man can euer make coÌ„digne compensation to God and his naturall parents For which respect Aquinas affirmeth constantly that God is not simply and truely said to be debtor to vs but to himselfe and to his owne promise which he freely without all our deserts made vnto vs. And their great schoole-doctour Iosephus Angles after he hath disputed this question of condigne merit too and fro pro contra doth in the end though vnawares plainely confesse the selfe same doctrine that I now intend to prooue He telleth vs forsooth that the price of euery thing may be equall to the value and worth of the same thing two wayes first of the nature of the thing secondly of the pact couenant and promise of him that doth promise the same thing for saith he if one penny be the full value answereable to the labour yet if a greater reward be promised which farre exceedeth the worth value of the work wrought then that reward is also due by couenant He addeth the reason thereof viz. because the law of nature teacheth to keepe promises which farre exceed the value of the thing And hereupon this great learned doctour concludeth roundly that though our good workes come farre short of eternall life if we respect the worthinesse thereof yet doe they condignely merit the ioyes of heauen if we respect the free promise of Christ Iesus And this condignitie of workes our frier bishop or bishopfrier as you will calleth aequalitas ex promissione tantum equalitie of promise onely Now I pray thee gentle reader what childish wit is not able to penetrat the very bowels of this deepe diuinitie and yet is it the maine point and onely foundation to
which all papists doe and must appeale in this weighty and most important question For example sake if thou wouldest wish me to lend thee my cloake to defend thee from a showre of raine and promise to giue me an hundred pounds for the loane then doubtlesse were it true to say that after such loane an hundreth pounds were due vnto me yet withall would it be most true also that such loane of my cloake were not the condigne merit of that hundreth pounds but that it proceeded principally of the free gift and promise made vnto me farre aboue my merit and desert neither could my act be any way rightly tearmed the condigne merit of that reward And yet it is euident that thus standeth the state of the question betweene the condigne merit of mans workes and the excellencie of the ioyes of heauen For I willingly graunt that eternall life is due to the workes of Gods elect and that it is as well the crowne of iustice as of mercie but withall I constantly affirme that God bestoweth it on his elect freely for his owne name sake and not for any merit worthinesse or condignitie of their workes For this cause their owne deere frier Ioannes de Combis teacheth this golden lesson Meritum condigni dicit aequalitatem meriti ad remunerationem dico autem aequalitatem non arithmeticam sed geometrieam id est non quantitatis sed proportionis Et hoc patet quia Deus semper remunerat supra meritum sicut punit citra condignum Condigne merit doth connotat the equalitie of merit to the thing that is merited I say equalitie not arithmeticall but geometricall that is not of quantitie but of proportion And this is euident because God euer rewardeth aboue our merits as he punisheth lesse than we deserue Out of these wordes we see two things cleered the one that we deserue greater punishment for our sinnes than God inflicteth vpon vs for the same the other that for our well doing we receiue greater reward than our workes doe or can deserue And consequently that wee doe not condignely merit eternall life For this cause saith their famous popish doctour Nicolaus de Lyra in this maner Salus enim aeterna excedit totaliter facultatem naturae humanae Propter quod non potest eam attingere nisi ex largitate diuinae misericordiae For eternall life doth farre surmount and wholly exceed the facultie and power of mans nature VVherefore man can no way attaine vnto it but onely by the liberalitie of Gods mercy For this cause saith another popish doctor Dionysius Carthusianuns in this maner Ex gratia seu per gratiam Dei datur iustis pro praemio vita aeterna Non hoc dicitur merita excludendo sed vt insinuctur quod principaliter ascribendum sit gratia Dei qui etiam premiat vltra condignum Eternall life is giuen for reward to the iust of grace or through the grace of God This is not said to exclude merits but to insinuate that reward must principally bee ascribed to the grace of God who rewardeth vs aboue our deserts Loe this great papist laboreth with maine and might to stablish popish condigne merit of workes who affirming more boldly than wisely that the elect doe merit eternall life telleth vs with one breath that the reward is aboue our merits and deserts And so vnwittingly and vnwillingly he confuteth himselfe and refelleth that doctrine which he gladly would confirme To conclude our Iesuit and renowned Cardinall frier Bellarmine who after mature deliberation and graue consultation had with all the best learned Iesuits in the world and with the Pope himselfe whose faith iudiciall cannot faile say they saith all that possibly can be said for the life of poperie doth with great grauitie and prudent sagacitie in the name of all papists deliuer this doctrine vnto vs Quod vero attinet ad rem ipsam Durandi sententia si nihil aliud vellet nisi merita nostra non esse ex condigno siue ex iustitia absolutè sed tantum ex hypothesi id est posita liberali Dei promissione non esset reprobanda sequitur respondeo absolutè non posse hominem á Deo aliquid exigere cum omnia sint ipsius tamen posita eius voluntate pacto quo non vult exigere à nobis opera nostra gratis sed mercedem reddere iuxta proportionem operum verè possumus ab eo mercedem exigere quomodo seruus non potest absolutè a domino suo vllum premium postulare cum omnia quae seruus acquirit domino suo acquirat tamen si domino placeat donare illi opera sua pro ijsdem tanquam sibi non debitis mercedem promittere iure mercedem pro suis operibus postulabit Touching the matter it selfe Durands opinion if he had no other meaning but that our merits are not absolutely iust and condigne but hypothetically in respect of Gods liberall promise were not to be reiected I answere that man cannot absolutely exact any thing of God seeing all things are Gods owne neuerthelesse his will and couenant being made that he will not exact our workes of vs freely but will reward them according to their proportion we may truly require hyer of him like as a bondman cannot absolutelie require any reward of his lord seeing euery thing which the bondman gaineth is gotten and gained to his master yet for all that if it shall please his master and lord to bestow his works on him and to promise reward for the same as if they were not due vnto him then may the bondseruant iustly demaund reward for his workes Thus saith the Iesuit Bellarmine and consequently this is all that all papists say or can say for the life of popish doctrine Out of whose wordes I note first that his brother Durands opinion hath put him to his best trumpe Secondly that Durands opinion as is already prooued is this viz. that the merit of workes in the best liuer vpon earth cannot truly and properly be called meritum ex condigno condigne merit but onely merit in way of acceptation and in respect of Gods free mercy and promise made vnto man without all deserts Thirdly that Bellarmine graunteth this opinion in this sense For hee saith plainely If Durand admit merit in respect of Gods promise his opinion cannot be reproued Fourthly that our Iesuit maketh good that doctrine which I here defend as which is the selfe same that Durand holdes And consequenly if Bellarmine and his popish fellowes and followers would stand constantly to their owne doctrine which they publish in printed bookes wee and they should soone agree and these great controuersies would haue an end Fourthly that man cannot absolutely exact any thing at Gods hands because all things are Gods owne Fiftly that in respect of Gods good pleasure and couenant frely made to man we may truely require reward of God Yea my selfe graunt that we
priuiledge graunted from this emperour wrested their neckes from the emperours subiection Let these words of Platina be well remembred because he being a famous papist must needs be of good credit against them I let passe the petite step when the emperor Phocas made Rome the head of all churches which for all that is of some moment The fourth step was the great amitie betweene Zacharie then Bishop of Rome and Pipine gouernour of France vnder Childerich the king for Pipine purposing to defeat his lord and soueraigne of the kingdome and to inuest himselfe therein sent his embassadours to Zacharie then Bishop of Rome and his bounden friend to demaund this question of him viz. VVhether he were more worthy to be king which was king only by name and naturall succession or els he who bare the whole burthen of the kingdome alone yet lacked the dignitie of a king The Pope vnderstanding the parable right well and respecting his owne future aduancement likely to ensue thereupon answered roundly I will not say clerkely but like a right doctor of the Romish rout that it was more rightfull forsooth that he which tooke the charge of all things should be called king Vpon this iudgement so clerkely yeelded Pipine forthwith presumed to depose Childerich and made himselfe king that done saintlesse not sackles Zacharie the Bishop of Rome that antichrists forerunner might be known assoiled Pipine and the other Frenchmen of their oath of allegeance and fealtie made to Childerich and confirmed Pipine the traitor in the kingdome of France This was indeed a step not of Iacobs ladder nor of Scala coeli but of Scala inferni Scala Antichristi and of the ladder of the master deuill of hell Yet is not our Iesuit and Cardinall Bellarmine the mouth of all papists and of the Pope himselfe ashamed to publish the same as a ground of the popish religion For these are his owne words Childericum deposuit Zacharias in eius locum Pipinum Caroli magni patrem creari iussit Cuius causa fuit quia propter socordiam Childerici religioni regno in Gallia extrema ruina imminere videbatur Pope Zacharie deposed Childericke and commaunded to place and inuest Pipine father to Charles the great in his throne the cause whereof was this because forsooth through the slouthfull and negligent gouernment of Childericus the kingdome and religion in Fraunce seemed to be in great danger This is the deepe diuinitie of the Pope and his clergie by which we may learne many worthie lessons 1 First that the Pope may set vp and pull downe kings at his pleasure by Iesuiticall doctrine and late Romish religion 2 Secondly that the Pope and Iesuites are the grand-masters and architects of seditions rebellions and most bloudie treasons 3 Thirdly that it is very true which the secular priests haue written concerning the traiterous proceedings of Iesuits and Iesuited papists 4 Fourthly that the Pope commaunded to depose the Soueraigne and to inthronize the subiect in his place 5 Fiftly that all this was done because forsooth the king did not rule after the Popes fansie and pleasure Hereupon I inferre this necessarie correlarie viz. that it behooueth Christian kings to be vigilant and in due time to expell all traiterous papists out of their dominions And if the Bishop of Rome shall send any seditious popeling into their kingdomes and territories with his thunderbolts buls and excommunications then to deale with the messengers as king Philip the faire dealt with pope Boniface his nuncioes in France whom he committed to prison and caused the Popes buls to be burnt in the fire And as Charles the sixt when Bennet the 13. did interdict his realme sitting in the throne of iustice in his high court of parliament the 21 of May in the yeere 1408. gaue sentence that the bull should be rent in pieces and that Gonsalue and Conseleux the bearer thereof should be set vpon a pillorie and publickely traduced in the pulpit The storie is set downe at large by the French papists in their booke intituled the Iesuites catechisme and the same is recorded in my anatomie of Popish tyrannie The fift step was the decay of the empire in the East about the yeere 756. For when Aistulphus or as some write Aristulphus king of the Lombards besieged the citie of Rome for the space of three whole moneths exacting an huge tribute of the Romanes then Pope Stephanus the second made suite to Pipinus king of France to stand their good master and to defend the citie from the furie of the Lombards King Pipine willing to gratifie his good friend the Bishop of Rome came with a mightie armie against Aistulphus and besieged him in Pauie and then and there constrained him to appeale to his mercie and to yeeld vp the exerchate of Rauenna and Pentapolis into his hands This being effected king Pipine whom Pope Zacharie of a traitour had made king as is alreadie prooued gave vp the gouernment of Italie into the Popes hands And the king had reason so to doe for as we know one good turne requires another So now the lieutenants of the emperours of Constantinople ended their whole power in Italie who aforetime had their seats at Rauenna and now was he taken out of the way who as the Apostle telleth vs did hinder the comming of Antichrist for Pope Stephen in way of gratitude confirmed the inheritance royall of the kingdome of France to the said Pipine and to his posteritie for euer Here began a new progenie of the kings of France for Childericus was the last king of the stocke of Meroneus who was the first king Christian of France This truth is apparant by the testimonie of many renowned Chronographers it cannot be denied The sixt step was the translation of the Romane empire from the Greeks to the Frenchmen or Germans in the person of magnificall Charles as the Iesuit Bellarmine tearmeth him The truth is this as popish Chronographers doe record and testifie to the world viz. That when the Romanes had driuen from among them Pope Leo the third he appealed to Charles then king of France who came to Rome and examined the matter and in the end appeased the Romanes and restored the Pope to his place and dignitie againe For this good worke and kind fauour of the king the Pope and people of Rome hauing now a long time in mind and affection reuolted from the emperour of Constantinople and seeing a fit opportunitie offered to accomplish their long wished desires did with vniforme consent and ioyfull acclamation proclaime Charles the great the emperour of Rome giuing him the imperiall names of Caesar and Augustus and setting the royall diademe vpon his head by the hands of Pope Leo. And for the better credit of mine assertion I will here recount the very words of Sigebertus a famous Chronographer and popish monke who therefore must needs be of credit with
reason thereof none liuing can be iustified in Gods sight Fiftly that by reason thereof whosoeuer saith he hath no sinne is a flat lier Sixtly that how vertuously soeuer we liue yet must we desire God to forgiue vs our sinnes by reason of this inherent vice Seauenthly that we must thus pray euen after all sinnes be forgiuen vs in our baptisme Againe the same Saint Austen in another place hath these wordes Iustitia modo nostra ex fide iustitia perfecta non est nisi in angelis vixin angelis si Deo comparentur tamen si qua perfecta iustitia anim arum spirituum est quos Deus creauit in angelis sanctis iustis bonis nullo lapsu auersis nulla superbia cadentibus sed manentibus semper in contemplatione verbi Dei nihil aliud dulce habentibus nisi à quo creati sunt in ipsis perfecta iustitia est in nobis autem ex fide coepit esse secundum spiritum Our iustice is now of faith there is no perfect iustice but in the angels and scarce in the angels if they be compared to God Yet if there be any perfect iustice of soules and spispirits which God hath created in the holy Angels iust good by no lapse auerted by no pride falling but euer abiding in the contemplation of the word of God and thinking nothing sweet but him onely which created them in them iustice is perfect but in vs it is not perfect it is onely begun of faith according to the spirit Thus saith Saint Austen telling vs very plainely that there is no perfect iustice in man but doubtlesse where no perfect iustice is there can be no condigne merite of eternall life S. Ambrose is consonant to S. Austen who writeth in this manner Caro contra spiritum contra carnem spiritus concupiscit nec inuenitur in vllo hominum tant a concordia vt legi mentis lex quae membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium sanctorum persona accipitur quod Ioannes Apostolus ait si dixerimus quoniam peccatum non habemus nos ipsos seducimus verit as in nobis non est The flesh saith S. Ambrose coueteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh neither can there be found in any man such concord or agreement that the law which is ingrafted in the members fighteth not against the law of the mind And for that cause Saint Iohns words are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. Thus writeth S. Ambrose out of whose words I note first that concupiscence mooueth rebellion against the spirit in the holiest man vpon earth Secondly that this rebellion is sinne in euery one for S. Iohn speaketh of sinne indeed Thirdly that no man liuing is free from sinne and consequently that none liuing in this pilgrimage of mortalitie can condignely merite eternall life S. Chrysostome is consonant to S. Ambrose and S. Austen these are his words Etsi millies moriamur etsi omnes virtutes animi expleamus nibil dignum gerimus adea quae ipsi percepimus à deo Though we die a thousand times and though we accomplish all vertues of the mind yet doe we nothing worthie of those things which we receiue of God Theophilact saith in this manner Seruauit nos aeternum non ex operibus quae fecimus hoc est neque secimus opera iustitiae neque per haec conseruati sumus sed vniuersam salutem bonit as ipsius atque elementia operata est He hath saued vs eternally not of the works which we haue done that is neither haue we done the workes of iustice neither are we saued by them but his goodnesse and his clemencie hath wrought our saluation wholly Now to knit vp this reason with all consents in one I will here set downe the flat and plaine report of a famous Frier and popish bishop in that booke which he dedicated to Pope Sixtus the fift Post humillim am sanctorum pedum deosculationem These are the words Eodem etiam modo considerantes omnes alij doctores sancti naturalem solum modo bonorum operum valorem illum à valore iusta vitae aeterae aestimatione longissimè distare perpendentes prudenter dixerunt opera nostra non esse meritoria aut digna vita aeterna Ex lege tamen siue conuentione siue promissione facta nobiscum opera bona hominis cum adiutorio gratiae dei fiunt aeternae vitae digna illi aequalia quae seclusa illa dei promissione quae passim in sacris literis reperitur fuissent tanto premio prorsus indigna All other holy doctors also considering after the same manner the naturall value onely of good workes and perceiuing that it is exceeding farre distant from the value and iust estimation of eternall life said wisely That our works are not meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Yet for the couenant and promise made vnto vs the good workes of man with the helpe of Gods grace are worthy of eternall life and equall with it which for all that that promise of God which is frequent in the Scripture set aside were altogether vnworthie of so great reward Thus saith our popish bishop our holy Frier euen to the Pope himselfe after the humble kissing of his most holy feet VVho though he bestirre himselfe more than a little to establish the condigne merite of mans workes yet doth he in his owne kind of dispute and reasoning vtterly confute and confound himselfe For first he graunteth that not onely S. Chrysostome but all the rest of the holy fathers with him marke well gentle reader affirme constantly and vniformely with one voice and assent a testimonie almost incredible to proceed from the mouth of a papist so deere to the Pope That good workes neither are meritorious nor worthie of eternall life Secondly he graunteth freely that the best workes considered in their owne nature and kind are vnworthy of eternall life Thirdly he graunteth willingly and telleth the Pope roundly post deosculationem pedum but after the kissing of his feet that good workes euen as they proceed of grace and assistance of the holyghost are for all that altogether vnworthie of eternall life if Gods promise and free acceptation be set apart VVhich three points doubtlesse are all that we desire to be graunted concerning the doctrine of good workes And consequently though the papists neuer cease to impeach accuse slaunder and condemne vs in this behalfe yet doe we defend nothing herein as is euident to the indifferent reader but euen that which their owne best doctors in their printed bookes doe teach vs yea in those very bookes which are dedicate to the Pope himselfe and that with the solemne and religious deosculation of his holy feet The conceits which bishop Frier Ioseph alledgeth to make good his imagined
God knew right wel that it is not in our power to keepe his lawes Thirdly that God commanded to vs impossible things that we might therby acknowledge our owne insufficiency wholy rely vpon his fauor help mercy Fourthly that we might hereby know that our saluation proceedeth of mercie and not of the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done and wherein the papists seeke merit and iustification So then the doctrine which I now teach is not my doctrine onely but the flat doctrnie of Saint Austen yea and the selfe same doctrine which the best learned papists haue taught before me That it is not possible for man to keepe Gods commaundements perfectly in this life no other proofe is needfull saue onely the Lords Prayer For in it the best liuer vpon earth is taught to aske forgiuenesse and pardon for his sinnes and doubtles where pardon must be demaunded there the law is not exactly obserued The vsuall practise of all papists is consectarie hereunto For in their ordinarie and daiely masses as also in their quotidian auricular confessions they confesse three seuerall times their most grieuous sinnes in these wordes Mea culpa mea culpa me a maxima culpa In which publique daily confession they must eitheir confesse that they deale hypocritically dissemble damnably and mocke God most irreligiously or els doubtles that they cannot keepe Gods commaundements as they beare the world in hand they do Now it remaineth that I answere to some popish obiections which the papists deeme and repute insoluble The first Obiection The young man told Christ that he had kept all the commaundements from his youth vp VVhom Christ reprooued not as though he had not kept them indeed but exhorted him to perfection in selling all his possessions The Answere I Answere both with Saint Austen and Saint Hierome That the young man answered vntrulie when hee said hee had kept all the commaundements Saint Austen hath these words Ille quidem tristis abscessit qui viderit quemadmodum illa legis mandata seruauerat Puto enim quod se arrogantius quam verius seruasse responderat He went away sorrowfull who knew how hee had kept the commaundements of the low For I thinke he answered more arrogantlie then trulie that he had kept them Sant Hierome saith plainlie and roundlie Mentitur He lieth And the circumstance of the texts going afore and following doe purport no lesse vnto vs. The second Obiection Saint Paul saith For note the hearers of the law are iust with God but the doers of the law shall be iustified The Answere Saint Paul meaneth nothing lesse in these words than that a man in Gods sight can be iustified his workes But he goeth about to conclude all vnder sinne and so to haue neede of the glorie of God because none is able to performe and keepe the law For his whole scope and intent is this to proue that the Iewes did in vaine boast against the Gentiles that they had the law seeing they did not keepe the same As if he had said if ye will be iustified by the law ye must performe and keepe the law which ye doe not for not the hearers of the law but the doers are iust in Gods sight I willinglie graunt and will it not denie that if any of you papists can perfectly obserue and keepe the law the same papist shall be iustified by the merit of his workes but if any such papist could be found which I am sure is impossible yet should that papist heare what Saint Paul saith of holy Abraham For saith he if Abraham were iustified by works he hath glorie or whererein to boast but not before God The third Obiection If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements The answere Our Sauiour Christ doth not shew in this place how men doe attaine vnto eternall life but hee sheweth what perfect obseruation of Gods law is required of them who looke to bee iustified by the workes of the law This my answere is cleered by the question proposed vnto Christ which was this VVhat good thing shall I doe that I may haue eternall life Christ answered If thou wilt haue eternall life by doing good workes then must thou keepe Gods commaundements But this is impossible as is alreadie prooued The fourth Obiection Christ saith My yoke is easie and my burden is light And Saint Iohn saith his commaundements are not heauie The Answere The law of God is impossible to be kept in such perfection as the same requireth at our hands as I haue alreadie proued Neuerthelesse the yoke of Christ is sweete and his burden light to all them which beleeue in him For as Saint Peter saith The yoke of the law is such a burden as neither we nor our fathers were able to beare but we belleeue to be saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ hath taken away the curse of the law Christ hath satisfied for our transgressions of the law Christ sent by God in the similitude of sinfull flesh blotted out the hand writing that was against vs and nailed it vpon the crosse There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Christ is our iustification our sanctification and our redemption By faith in Christ wee doe ouercome the world Christ is so mercifull that hee refresheth all those which come vnto him This being so wee may trulie say that in Christ wee fulfill the law because he is our righteousnesse our sanctification and our redemption because hee hath ouercome death because hee hath clothed vs with his righteousnesse because hee hath couered our nakednesse with his garments because in him wee haue gotten the victorie ouer hell death and damnation This is it that Saint Austen saith in these golden wordes Omnia ergo mandata tunc facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoseitur All the commaundements are then reputed as done when whatsoeuer is not done is of mercie forgiuen The first Obiection Saint Hierome saith He is to be detested as a blasphemer that affirmeth God to haue commaunded any impossible thing And Saint Austen saith God can neither commaund things impossible because he is iust neither condemne a man for that which he could not auoyd because he is mercifull The Answere I answere first that hee is to bee detested as a blasphemer that affirmeth God to haue commaunded any thing vnto man which was either impossible in it selfe to be done or to be done of man as man I say impossible in it selfe because otherwise Christ himselfe could not haue fulfilled the law which to hold is flat blasphemie against the Sonne of God I say impossible to bee done of man as man because otherwise the Protoplast Adam could not haue kept the law which to hold is most absurd and against all learning and learned men Secondly that he is to be detested as a blasphemer